Katie Grimes wins 400 IM trials, clinches pool spot at Olympics

INDIANAPOLIS -- Katie Grimes will be swimming indoors and outdoors at the Paris Olympics.

Having already clinched a spot in open water, which will be held in the Seine River, Grimes claimed a pool spot with a victory Monday night in the women's 400-meter individual medley at the U.S. Olympics trials.

Grimes built a big lead through the butterfly and backstroke legs, surrendered the top spot to Emma Weyant on the breaststroke, but rallied in the freestyle to take the guaranteed spot for Paris in 4 minutes, 35.00 seconds.

Weyant, the silver medalist in this event at the Tokyo Games, took the expected second spot for these Olympics in 4:35.56.

On a busy night featuring five finals, American backstroke king Ryan Murphy clinched his third trip to the Olympics by winning the 100-meter backstroke in 52.22.

The 28-year-old Floridian now gets a chance to add to his already impressive resume, which includes four golds, one silver and one bronze.

"I think I enjoy it a little bit more than I used to," Murphy said. "I used to feel like I was going to throw up before every race."

Hunter Armstrong claimed the likely second Olympic spot in 52.72 - edging Jack Aikins by two-hundredths of a second.

Luke Hobson earned his first Olympic berth with a victory in the men's 200 freestyle.

The 20-year-old Hobson, a college star at Texas, touched in 1:44.89. Chris Guiliano pulled a surprise from lane one, taking the second individual spot for Paris in 1:45.38.

Drew Kibler and Tokyo medalist Kieran Smith were third and fourth, respectively, guaranteeing a spot on the 4x200 relay at the Olympics. The next two, Brooks Curry and Blake Pieroni, will likely be on the team, as well.

The crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium also got a glimpse of the future in 14-year-old Audrey Derivaux, who surprisingly claimed the last spot in the 400 IM final.

She was second to Grimes at the midway point of the race couldn't hold on, finishing last in 4:46.89.